Fourteen days remained until the midterm festival.
The morning air of the neglected courtyard felt crisp and clean, carrying the sharp scent of freshly cut grass and the residual mana particles from the noble training grounds far in the distance.
The sun had climbed to its mid morning position, casting warm golden light across the dusty earth where twenty commoner students were pushing themselves through another brutal conditioning cycle.
Instructor Gage stood near the eastern archway, his tailored suit pristine as always, his sharp eyes tracking the progression of each student with clinical precision.
Crimson was executing a complex footwork drill, his B tier speed now flowing with a fluidity that suggested he was approaching a new plateau.
His movements had lost the desperation of his earlier training, replaced by a cold, focused efficiency that mirrored his instructor's own combat style.
Silas was lifting a massive stone block above his head, his iron bone density allowing him to bear weights that would have shattered the spine of any normal commoner.
His grunts echoed through the courtyard with rhythmic determination.
Lyssa sat in her usual meditation corner, her silver hair falling across her closed eyes.
She had not yet consciously accessed her spatial distortion talent, but Gage's system indicated that the seal was slowly weakening.
Everything was progressing beautifully.
Then something shifted in the atmosphere.
Gage's peripheral awareness picked up on a subtle disturbance far beyond the courtyard walls.
A specific mana signature, refined and controlled, moving with the deliberate cadence of someone who possessed absolute confidence in their own capabilities.
The signature was approaching the eastern gate.
A faint, warm smile touched the corner of Gage's mouth.
For the first time since arriving at Pristina Academy, the expression was completely, genuinely amused.
"Well," Gage murmured softly to himself.
"This should be interesting."
The heavy iron gates of the courtyard creaked open.
The training rhythms of the twenty students faltered slightly as a tall figure stepped through the archway.
He was a young man in his mid twenties, dressed in the polished black and silver armor of the imperial royal knight order.
A long, elegant sword hung at his left hip, its scabbard adorned with the golden crest of the empire's supreme knight council.
His posture was straight and commanding, his dark hair swept back in the practical style favored by warriors who spent long hours in the field.
His face was handsome in a rugged, weathered way, marked by a small scar across his left cheekbone.
His eyes carried the calm, focused intensity of someone who had witnessed countless battles and emerged from each one with a deeper understanding of himself.
Yet the moment the man saw Gage standing at the eastern archway, his composed warrior facade completely dissolved.
His eyes widened with genuine, unrestrained delight.
A wide, boyish grin spread across his features.
"Master," the man said, his voice carrying a warmth that echoed through the entire courtyard.
He walked forward with quick, eager steps, then stopped a few paces before Gage and bowed deeply from the waist, his right hand pressed against his chest in the formal salute of the royal knight order.
"It has been far too long."
The twenty students of Class F froze completely mid movement, their wooden practice swords hanging motionless in the air.
Their eyes darted between the imposing royal knight and their commoner instructor, their minds struggling to process what they were witnessing.
A royal knight general, one of the most elite warriors in the entire empire, was bowing to their commoner teacher and calling him Master.
Gage looked down at the bowing knight with an expression of quiet, restrained affection.
"Eric," Gage said, his low voice carrying a subtle warmth that none of the students had ever heard from him before.
"Rise."
"You are far too accomplished now to bow to me in public."
Eric straightened up, his boyish grin still firmly in place.
"With all due respect, Master, I will bow to you regardless of where we are."
"You are the reason I am standing here today, and I have no intention of letting the empire forget that."
Gage tilted his head slightly, a barely perceptible acknowledgment of the sentiment.
He gestured toward the courtyard with a casual wave of his hand.
"Walk with me."
"I have some students I would like you to observe."
Eric fell into step beside Gage, his armor clinking softly with each measured stride.
The two men walked slowly toward the center of the training yard, the twenty students frozen in place as they passed.
Gage narrowed his eyes almost imperceptibly, allowing his minimalist system interface to activate.
The translucent parchment window materialized silently in his vision, cataloging the man walking beside him.
Target: Eric
Class: Royal Knight General
Overall Potential Tier: S
Current Status: Transcended (Stage 2 Locked)
Current Physical Attributes:
Strength: UR / UR
Endurance: UR / UR
Speed: SSR / UR
Reflexes: UR / UR
Combat Mastery: UR / UR
Mana Capability: SSR / UR
Unique Talent: Perfect Blade Mastery (Active)
Gage closed the interface with a small, private nod of satisfaction.
Eric had grown considerably since their last meeting.
His statistics were now firmly locked at the UR tier across nearly every metric, a level of physical conditioning that placed him among the top warriors in the entire empire.
His only remaining growth potential was his mana capability and his speed, both of which still had room to reach their UR ceilings.
He was, without question, one of Gage's greatest completed works.
"You've been maintaining your training," Gage observed as they walked.
"Your speed has plateaued slightly. You need to work on your explosive acceleration drills."
Eric laughed softly, running a hand through his dark hair with a hint of self conscious amusement.
"I knew you would notice within the first three seconds, Master."
"The imperial court keeps me busy with administrative duties."
"I don't get to train as consistently as I used to."
"But I have been practicing the acceleration exercises you designed for me."
"My last recorded time is 0.03 seconds faster than my previous plateau."
Gage nodded once, satisfied with the answer.
"Adequate progress. Continue with the exercises."
The two men reached the center of the courtyard, where the twenty students were still frozen in various poses of stunned disbelief.
Their eyes darted between Gage and Eric, their minds struggling to reconcile the sight of a royal knight general treating a commoner instructor with such profound reverence.
Gage stopped and turned to face his students.
"This is Eric," he announced flatly.
"He was one of my students many years ago."
"He is currently the youngest royal knight general in the history of the imperial court."
"Treat him with the respect his position deserves."
The students collectively snapped into proper formation, their spines straightening automatically as their eyes locked onto the imposing royal knight.
Eric smiled warmly at them, his commanding presence somehow softening into something almost approachable.
"Please, do not let me disrupt your training," Eric said, his voice carrying the calm authority of someone accustomed to commanding respect.
"I am simply here to visit my old master and to observe his current students."
"Return to your exercises. I will watch from the side."
The students hesitated for a moment, then slowly resumed their training routines.
Their movements were noticeably stiffer than before, self consciousness bleeding through their earlier confidence as they became acutely aware of being watched by an imperial royal knight.
Eric leaned closer to Gage, his voice dropping to a soft, conversational tone.
"These are your commoner students, Master?"
"I heard the rumors circulating through the imperial court, but I confess I did not fully believe them until I arrived."
Gage tucked his hands into his suit pockets, watching the students with quiet, calculating eyes.
"The rumors are entirely accurate."
"The academy assigned me a class of twenty rejects, thinking I would fail spectacularly."
"They will discover their miscalculation at the midterm festival in fourteen days."
Eric's boyish grin widened.
"So the empire is about to receive another lesson in why it should never underestimate one of your students."
"I truly wish I could stay to watch."
The two men stood in comfortable silence for several minutes, observing the training progression of the various pairs.
Eric's warrior trained eyes analyzed each student with genuine professional interest, cataloging their movements, their conditioning, and their combat potential.
His gaze eventually settled on Crimson, who was executing a series of rapid directional changes with a focus so intense that beads of sweat were dripping from his brow.
Eric watched him for a long moment.
Then he tilted his head slightly, a look of quiet recognition crossing his features.
"That one," Eric said softly, gesturing toward Crimson.
"Is he Awakened, Master?"
Gage did not turn his head, but a subtle note of pride entered his voice.
"He achieved Stage One approximately two weeks ago."
"His speed and reflex ceilings are locked at the SSR tier."
"He is currently my most promising student."
Eric let out a low, appreciative whistle.
"SSR tier at his age?"
"With your training methodology?"
"Master, in another five years, he may very well surpass me."
Gage did not confirm or deny the statement.
He simply allowed a very small, very private smile to touch the corner of his mouth.
"He will reach Transcended long before he catches up to your current form, Eric."
"You had a full decade of preparation before you achieved Stage Two."
"Crimson may reach it in half that time."
Eric's grin widened even further at the veiled compliment.
"Then I look forward to the day I have to spar with him properly."
Eric noticed the expression and grinned even wider.
"You are enjoying yourself, aren't you Master?"
"I have not seen that particular smile since the days when you were training me for the Golden Sword Trials."
Gage remained silent, but his amused expression did not fade.
Eric approached Crimson with the calm, measured stride of a seasoned warrior.
The red haired boy paused mid drill, his newly awakened senses immediately picking up on the overwhelming presence of the royal knight general.
He straightened up quickly, bowing his head in a gesture of instinctive respect.
"General," Crimson said, his voice steady despite the sudden pressure of being addressed by such a high ranking individual.
Eric smiled warmly at the boy, extending a hand toward him.
"There is no need for formality with me, young one."
"Any student of Master Gage is a peer in my eyes."
"May I have the honor of your name?"
Crimson blinked in surprise at the warmth of the greeting.
He hesitantly extended his own hand, allowing the royal knight to shake it with a firm, confident grip.
"My name is Crimson, General."
Eric nodded thoughtfully, studying the boy's posture and the subtle way he distributed his weight.
"Crimson."
"That is a fitting name for a boy with your particular flame."
"I felt your presence the moment I walked through the eastern gate."
"Your baseline aura is already sharper than most of my personal squad."
"You will do remarkable things, Crimson. I hope to have the privilege of watching your journey from the sidelines."
Crimson bowed his head again, his cheeks flushing slightly at the unexpected praise from such a legendary figure.
"Thank you, General. Your words mean more than you know."
Eric smiled once more, then turned and walked back to Gage's side.
The two men resumed their casual observation of the training, but the atmosphere among the students had noticeably shifted. Crimson stood a little straighter now.
Silas pushed himself a little harder. Even Lyssa opened her eyes and began her physical training routine with renewed focus.
They had just been personally acknowledged by a royal knight general who had once been in their exact position.
Their futures suddenly felt tangible.
The morning training session eventually concluded.
As the students dispersed to their afternoon rotation, Gage and Eric began walking slowly toward the eastern archway, their conversation returning to its earlier warm, familiar tone.
"How is the imperial court treating you these days?" Gage asked casually.
Eric chuckled softly.
"The nobles are as insufferable as they have always been."
"They tolerate me because of my rank and my combat record, but they still whisper about my commoner origins behind my back."
"I have learned to simply not care about their opinions."
Gage nodded once.
"Their opinions were always irrelevant. Your skill is the only thing that matters."
The two men reached the eastern gate.
Eric stopped and turned to face Gage, his expression softening into something more serious.
"Master, may I speak candidly for a moment?"
Gage inclined his head slightly, granting permission.
Eric took a deep breath.
"The empire is a complicated place these days."
"There are factions moving in the shadows, factions who remember the old stories about you."
"Some of them are curious. Others are afraid."
"I do not know if any of them will make their way to Pristina Academy, but I felt you should be aware."
Gage's expression did not change.
"I am aware, Eric."
"I appreciate your concern, but you do not need to worry about me."
"If any of them are foolish enough to come, they will simply learn the same lesson your generation had to learn."
Eric smiled at the response, a hint of relief crossing his features.
"Of course, Master."
"I should have known better than to think you would be caught unprepared."
He bowed deeply once more, his hand pressed against his chest in the formal royal knight salute.
"May our paths cross again soon."
"Please give my regards to Crimson when I am gone."
"I have a feeling that boy is going to remind me a great deal of my younger self before very long."
Gage nodded once.
"Safe travels, Eric."
The royal knight general straightened up, gave his old master one final warm smile, and walked out through the eastern gate, his black and silver armor catching the mid morning sunlight as he disappeared down the marble path leading back to the imperial court.
Gage stood alone at the archway for a long moment, watching the direction Eric had departed.
A small, quiet smile lingered on his face, one filled with a subtle mixture of pride, nostalgia, and something deeper that only he could fully understand.
Then his expression returned to its usual state of icy professionalism.
He turned on his heel and walked back into the training courtyard, where twenty students were waiting for their afternoon instructions, their eyes bright with a new sense of possibility.
Fourteen days remained until the midterm festival.
The stage was set, and the actors were nearly ready.
The empire would receive its third warning very, very soon........